Support for BusinessesSpecialist support

Business Networks

Fenland Chambers of Commerce is the voice of local business, dedicated to supporting the continued success of local businesses through networking opportunities and valuable expert advice. The Chamber runs regular informal networking evenings in the area, as well as workshops and conferences on various subjects to help businesses develop their skills and competitiveness. cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

Federation of Small Businesses - The Federation of Small Businesses offers members a wide range of vital business services including advice, financial expertise, support and a powerful voice in government. Formed in 1974, the FSB offers a range of benefits and support for its 200,000 members across 33 regions and 188 branches. fsb.org.uk/bedscambsherts

Social Enterprise East of England - If you run a social enterprise, are looking to set one up, or you want to support the sector, SEEE can help. They offer support and specialist resources for their members across the East.seee.co.uk

MentorsMe is an online mentoring service for businesses. You can search a list of accredited business mentors online according to your individual requirements. mentorsme.co.uk

ACAS provides information, advice, training, conciliation and other services for employers and employees to help prevent or resolve workplace problems. There's advice and details of training courses on their website to help you ensure you have happy, healthy and productive employees. acas.org.uk

Business rates and taxes

Business Rates and Benefits - your business plan will need to allow for business rates, tax and other charges payable to employees and the government.
You can check local business rates with Fenland District Council and national tax rates and payment dates with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) calling 0845 302 1453 or visiting: hmrc.gov.uk

Non-domestic Rates - Non-domestic, or business, rates are the way in which businesses and other occupiers of non-domestic property contribute toward the cost of local authority services. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for assessing all business and non-domestic property in England and Wales, giving each one a rateable value. If you have reason to believe your rateable value is wrong, you need to let the VOA know as quickly as possible.
Contact your local office and talk to someone on the business rates team. Valuation Office Agency, Eastbrook, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 2DU 01223 431 300 voa.gov.uk

Fenland District Council Business Rates Team - collect business rates on behalf of the Government. Please contact them if you have any queries about how much you should pay, different ways to pay or if you're having difficulties in paying. fenland.gov.uk/counciltaxandbusinessrates

Food safety

Fenland District Council Food and Safety Team runs a range of training courses to help businesses to understand and comply with the law To find out more or for information, advice and guidance regarding food safety regulations please talk to Fenland District Council or visit: fenland.gov.uk/foodinspections

International trade

The Government's Department for International Trade can support you to begin selling your goods and services to overseas markets. Visit their website for information on trading internationally and for tender opportunities that may be of interest, either now or in the future: gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-trade

If you wish to tender to export overseas with the government, you can find these advertised on the Exporting is GREAT website which also provides advice on exporting. To find more overseas partners, search the Enterprise Europe Network portal here.

The Institute of Export is the professional membership body representing and supporting the interests of everyone involved in importing, exporting and international trade. Offering a unique range of individual and business membership benefits and a world renowned suite of qualifications and training, the Institute is the leading authority in best practice and competence for businesses trading globally. export.org.uk/

Manufacturing

The Manufacturing Association is helping companies in this established sector foster an environment of collaboration to overcome barriers to growth by sharing best practice, the latest developments in technology and showcasing the latest business news from the Fenland area.

To register your interest in joining the Manufacturing Association, contact Fenland for Business:

Recruitment, skills and staff development

The Skills Service has a dedicated expert working in the Fenland area to provide a brokerage service between businesses and education providers. The teams helps with local employers' skills issues to make sure you have access to a work-ready talent pool. By working together with the support of The Skills Service, businesses and education providers are inspiring local young people to help teach them about the world of work and their future career opportunities. Click here to watch a video about the work of The Skills Service.
For further information about how The Skills Service can help your business, visit: theskillsservice.co.uk

Jobcentre Plus provides employability support to people out of work and assists many local businesses with their recruitment needs. They can post details of all local vacancies on the DWP's national Universal Jobmatch website.

College of West Anglia is one of the largest higher education providers in the area, offering a whole range of courses to suit all types of sectors and skills levels. The college has links with hundreds of employers in the area and brings their knowledge to the network to help build skills among the local workforce needed for companies to grow and develop. cwa.ac.uk

Peterborough Regional College has a wide range of courses on offer and provides skills training for many businesses in the area. They're currently in the process of constructing a state-of-the-art centre to provide food and drink production and engineering training within an industrial setting, and are also home to University Centre Peterborough on their city campus. peterborough.ac.uk

Apprenticeship Service - If the post you're recruiting for is suitable for an apprentice, the National Apprenticeship Service can help you find the right candidate for the role. To find out more visit: https://www.gov.uk/topic/further-education-skills/apprenticeships. The benefits of apprenticeships and traineeships make them an attractive venture for many businesses.

BEIS - The government's Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has a range of online tools for businesses and useful information on subjects such as wages, employee leave and funding opportunities. For further information on how BEIS can help your business visit: beis.gov.uk

Resource efficiency

WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) helps individuals, businesses and local authorities to reduce waste and recycle more, making better use of resources and helping to tackle climate change. wrap.org.uk

Waterwise - An independent, not-for-profit organisation that works to improve the efficient use of water. As well as promoting methods of improving the efficient use of water, Waterwise works with partners to develop innovative water-saving technologies. waterwise.org.uk

The Carbon Trust works with organisations to reduce carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies. They can offer advice and information, as well as helping you to measure your carbon footprint and work to reduce it. For more details, visit carbontrust.co.uk

Preventing cyber crime

Action Fraud is the National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre. If you have any concerns about cyber crime or wish to report suspicious emails or activity, call 0300 123 2040 of visitactionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud

Cambridgeshire Constabulary have a specialist team that work across the region to help businesses understand, and protect themselves against, cyber crime and fraud. You can read the Little Book of Big Scams and the Little Book of Cyber Scams on this website for some simple methods of protecting your business against cyber criminals - 80% of cyber crime is preventable with 20% of the effort.

Pensions

OPT The Workplace Pension

Did you know that as soon as you employ somebody you must have a workplace pension scheme in place for them?

Are you aware of the legislative timeframes?

Have you been burying your head in the sand in the hope that your auto-enrolment responsibilities go away? They won’t.

Opt Pensions are here to help

Opt Pensions is a trading style of Opt Corporation Limited and is part of the Harwood Capital Management Ltd. Group of Companies. We were established specifically to meet the demands of auto-enrolment and to assist small to medium-sized companies with their new workplace pension responsibilities. We do this by:

Having a dedicated team of Business Development Managers ready to assist employers and their advisers with their auto-enrolment responsibilities.

Providing access to our online pension portal which was specifically developed to support the automatic enrolment requirements for advisers, accountants, employers and employees.

Opt Pensions’ unique proposition differentiates itself from others in the market by offering a number of additional services which go over and above the usual expectations of an auto-enrolment scheme.

These include:

Staff business meetings delivered by an experienced member of Opt Pensions, delivering key information on auto-enrolment and the staff pension scheme.

The provision of a governance report providing detailed scheme information, explained by an Opt Pensions Business Development Manager.

The training of employers and employees in accessing their online portal, the options they have available and answering any key questions they have about their pension scheme.

Providing the opportunity for all workplace pension assessments and communications to be run in-house by an Opt Pensions employee on an ongoing basis, providing complete peace of mind for employers.

Carrying out of key employer duties on their behalf such as the Declaration of Compliance.

From start to finish, Opt Pensions will manage your needs and provide a highly compliant, well-functioning workplace pension scheme that your clients can rely on to fit all of their auto-enrolment requirements. At Opt Pensions we will provide you with not only compliance, but compatibility, and the reassurance of knowing their workplace pension is in safe hands.

If you have any questions regarding your auto-enrolment and need to speak to member of the Opt Pensions team, just call on 01799 581 212.

If you'd like to discuss sourcing specialist support for your organisation that isn't listed on this page, please contact, Fenland For Business: